Land Rover and Arch Digest team up for "Climbing Up"

Land Rover North America has teamed up with Architectural Digest and the New York-based design firm Hollwich Kushner (HWKN) to create a one-of-a-kind public art installation, inspired by the aluminum body of the 2013 Range Rover vehicle. The installation was placed on display in New York City’s Meatpacking District.

The public art installation, titled Climbing Up and created by HWKN founders Matthias Hollwich and Marc Kushner, incorporate many of the same aluminum materials that make up the 2013 Range Rover vehicle, and features the vehicle through an evocative, interactive experience.

“This spectacular public art installation speaks to the physical properties of high-strength aluminum, as well as the design aesthetic of the 2013 Range Rover and we’re excited to see how it draws attention and discussion to our next generation Range Rover,” said Kim McCullough, Brand Vice President, Land Rover North America.

Utilizing aluminum rivet-bonds, the installation’s design is tied to the 2013 Range Rover vehicle’s form, picking up on three distinct lines that define the vehicle’s design. In developing the installation, HWKN used a series of plates to create a triangulated structure spine that supports the car, which will rest at a dramatic angle. The effect, say Hollwich and Kushner, is that the car will seemingly be in motion even as it sits atop the structure.

“We were inspired by the assembly, form and performance of the 2013 Range Rover and that dictated everything we did,” Hollwich said.

“The design of the vehicle itself is so rooted in architecture, and we wanted to translate that DNA into our installation,” Kushner said. “At the same time, we wanted to convey how strong – yet light – the all-aluminum vehicle structure is.”

Land Rover’s media buying agency, Mindshare, teamed the luxury automotive brand up with Architectural Digest who had the relationship with HWKN. The architectural firm then collaborated with partners Neverstop, an experiential agency, and Acer, a Toronto-based fabricator charged with the installation’s construction, to create the structure that was unveiled on June 6 at the intersection of 9 Avenue and West 14 Street in Manhattan.